I'll say up front...I'm not a fan of the Compass, but mostly because of the styling. I much prefer the Patriot, which shares the same underpinnings as the Compass (with the addition of an optional low range on 4WD models), but looks much more like a Jeep. The one thing that kills what might have been my serious interest in either one is the CVT...not a fan of CVTs.

With the market moving towards smaller crossover "cute-utes" because of their car-like driving experience and car-like fuel economy and because of rising gas prices, Jeep had to do something to get into that market. One could argue that the Liberty could fill that role, but the Liberty's fuel economy just doesn't measure up to much of the cute-ute competition (with the exception of the CRD). Ad in the fact that the Liberty driving experience is closer to that of a regular SUV than a cute-ute, and the Liberty just wouldn't cut it in direct competition with the likes of the RAV-4, etc.

I agree with mendelmax's comment about the brand issue...the Compass and even the Patriot do water down the percieved off-road prowess that the Jeep brand holds...they'll do that until or unless multiple magazines test the things and say words like "best off-roader ever" or "serious rock-crawling potential"...but the mags won't end up saying that if their tests of the Dodge Caliber are any indication. Some would argue that the Liberty and current Grand Cherokee also water down the brand's image. But again, Jeep had to do something...without the Compass and Patriot, Jeep would have nothing in their lineup that gets more than the low 20's for MPG (CRD excepted again)...not a good thing in buyer's minds today.

Reduced market share for Jeep would mean reduced profits...that means less development money for vehicles like the Wrangler, Wrangler Rubicon, etc. That's bad for anybody who likes Jeeps.

I, personally, like the Jeep Compass. I don't think I will be purchasing a car until I am out of college, but when I do, I want to get something cheap, gets a lot of MPG, and most importantly, is a Jeep.

Get a Dodge Caliber and stop contributing to the tarnishing of the Jeep name.

You guys are still saying about brand profit, but you don't see the whole aspect. People finishing college etc. are not the clients precious for jeep. Jeep isn't a car for all the people.
Look- Fiat company. Fiat makes a car for people, giving best mileage, cheap prices (Fiat panda cost less than 20% of Grand Cherokee price). So most of the cars sold in europe are made by Fiat. And what? It gives no profit. Fiat is generating big money loss. The thing, why they still alive is Ferrari, Alfa Romeo etc.
I own Alfa Romeo, and I know, they tried to do the same thing Jeep is doing now. after World war II Alfa Romeo was the best sport car in the world, giving abnormal profit, while having small workshop with less than 100 workers. In 80's and 90' Fitat decided to develope it and reduce costs. Alfa started to break up often, it lost it's sport character and so it lost it's image. But Fiat finally understood that and started making once more great, high-priced cars, burning a lot of fuel with its 2-3 or eaven more liters, giving almost 300 hp. Finally, Alfa stands up from crisis and earn more to the whole company, that it did while making cheap vehicles.
With jeep it will be the same. Hope, that they will understand it fast enough.
All guys that can't afford Jeep are not worth anything to the company. Why? Because most of us will buy used, REAL jeep., instead of this plastic made sh*t, and a company won't earn anything on us.
That's the true, we have to understand and accept- we, guys at or after the college or just people who don't earn much can't be important on the luxury cars market. And jeep is a luxury brand. If they will destroy their image, they will soon regret it. Because we won't buy things like compass or treo, but people like my parents who love our jeep and can afford it (and fuel for it) now won't buy new grand cherokee. They already said, that we have to take care about our WJ, because there is no new car on the market, that we can buy now that will be similar- that won't be a toy. Because of this strange brand developement, jeep lost us as customers for the future. And how many people like my parents are in the world?
uff, a lot of writing
edit: some more examples of companys giving high profit on hihg-priced, traditional cars- Bentley, Rolce Royce, Maybach, Mercedes, BMW, Porsche etc.

Let's face it, guys. Yes, it's true that real jeeps aren't bought, they're made, DC is taking the jeeps that we all started off with and disrespecting it. The day of the solid axle under any suv is almost over. It pains me to say this, but we're the minority of the consumers and we have no civil rights activist fighting for us. I will have to rebuild and rebuild everything on my jeep so that I may keep driving it until I'm old and grey. Now, as for these new vehicles, THOSE PIECES OF **** DO NOT EVER DESERVE TO BE CALLED A JEEP. THIS IS SOMETHING I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED SOMEONE LIKE TOYOTA TO COME OUT WITH!!!! People that are new are coming on here and going oh, I like that. That's a shame. I can't stand people that are going oh, when I get out of college, I want a jeep with high gas mileage and the ride of a stupid IFS. To you I say what the hell ever.

I am afraid the days of the "true Jeep" are numbered plain and simple. It is true that Jeeps are made not bought, but to build a true off-road jeep you need to start off with the right platform. This does not include IFS, half a ton of plastic, and an engine set up to get a million miles per gallon. There is nothing wrong with all that, but it is not a Jeep. I had some extra time the other day and stopped at the local jeep dealership just to see what they are putting out. I walked away a very sad man.

Okay, I would like to retract the statements I made earlier.
I have to admit, I don't know much about cars, which is one of the reasons why I joined this Forum, so that I could learn.
I don't know what an IFS is, but I'm going to assume that the Wrangler, Grand Cherokee, Liberty, and other Jeeps are not.
My first impression of the Compass was that it was primarily a road vehicle, and had off-road capaibility, but after reading more about it, I realize that is not the case.

No, the end of the "real" jeeps ended when the willy's ended production

Good riddance. If you want something so ancient and outdated, go buy yourself a wooden wagon and attatch a lawn mower engine to it.

I for one love to modern technology and design. And although the Compass isn't offroad worthy, it definitely helps Jeep as a company as a whole because lets face it, 90% of the people who buy jeep's don't take it 4x4'n, and without that market share Jeep would be no jeep(wrangler, cherokee) at all.

despite what your momma told you, you're not that special and no company's _just_ gonna cater to your taste and the tastes of purely offroaders out there.

I can't understand, why they don't go simple way to make SUV's for daily driving like grand, liberty, commander etc, and leave one, hardcore offroad Wrangler.

umm... HELLO!?!? where have you been for the past 2 years, welcome to 2006!!! incase you haven't noticed, that's exactally what Jeep's doing... no where did they say they're getting rid of the Wrangler, and supposely, the 2007 Wranglers should be even better/more offroad worthy than before(or atlest the 2007 rubicon will be)

Airbug, I can't agree with you. Take the bridges for example, the tires etc. Also the engine and a lot of electronic devices on board. This is offroad looking machine, but not real offroader. And as mpyusko said, it will be very, very difficult to improve it.
The only salvation for the brand that I can see now- Jeep Rescue.

hahaha the first clue is that the engine is facing the wrong direction.........

Anyway, I am not a fan of the Compass. That's a Jeep that my mother would buy (Which she's considering). However, I am a fan of the Patriot. With the 'Off Road Group 2' option, it claims 8.5" minimum ground clearance, and a 4Lo gear for sticky situations. A limited will run around 25-27g, perfect for a graduating college student looking for their first new car. Jeep is trying to get a younger demographic buying their brand, so they start more brand loyalty. With 50% of their lineup at a starting price of about 30g, they don't have that younger demographic.

Granted the Wrangler and the LIberty start at 17g and 23g respectively, not everyone wants an open-air Jeep or something as ugly as the Liberty Even so, the Liberty Limited will run close to 28-30g

If you compare a ZJ to the Partiot, All the dimensions are within 1" of eachother. The Patriot is the rebirth of the ZJ. The ZJ with the 4.0 produced 190hp. The new 4cyl produces 175, and will prob get 27mpg on the highway. Throw a 5 speed behind that, and I'll take it!

***** and moan all you want about me comparing it to a ZJ. It doesn't matter to me that it has a car's underpinnings, as long as I have 8" of clearance and enough power to get me around, I'm happy. What SUV suspension today doesn't resemble a car's? IFS, IRS, Stability control, traction control, roll control, etc.

Don't get me wrong, I love my ZJ. But as with all cars, it will get old, and I will need to replace it one day. Why not replace it with the closest thing I can find to it? Even better that it's a Jeep

If you compare a ZJ to the Partiot, All the dimensions are within 1" of eachother. The Patriot is the rebirth of the ZJ. The ZJ with the 4.0 produced 190hp. The new 4cyl produces 175, and will prob get 27mpg on the highway. Throw a 5 speed behind that, and I'll take it!